1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to solar systems employing reflectors for reflecting the radiant energy onto one or more collectors. More particularly, this invention relates to an improvement in a solar system having a plurality of reflectors and collectors in which the nonfunctional expense of towers and the like is reduced without sacrificing precision and efficiency.
2. Background of the Invention
The prior art has seen the development of a wide variety of systems for producing useful work. As some of the systems, such as nuclear fission, suffer from bad publicity, there is increasing emphasis on the use of solar energy and the like. The systems for using this solar energy are referred to as solar systems. These systems have taken a wide variety of forms ranging from the photovoltaic cells that convert the radiant energy directly into electrical current, such as used in space probes, space vehicles and the like; to the more mundane systems converting the energy to heat for heating of fluid for use in generation of power. Regardless of which system is employed, it is generally conceded to be beneficial to employ a concentrating principle in which the sun's radiant energy from a much larger area than the collector per se, is directed, or focused, onto the collector that uses the radiant energy.
In typical installations heretofore, the collector was mounted on an expensive tower or the like that was non-functional and was a major item of expense. The reflectors were spaced thereabout for directing the radiant energy onto the collector on top of the tower. Heretofore it has been axiomatic that the tower in excess of 100 feet or more has been required, where three or more rows of the reflectors were employed about the tower for directing the radiant energy onto the collector.
As described in our co-pending patent application "SOLAR SYSTEM HAVING IMPROVED HELIOSTAT AND SENSOR MOUNTINGS," U.S. Ser. No. 953,469, filed Oct. 23, 1978, the descriptive matter of which is incorporated herein by reference for details that are omitted herefrom; there was disclosed the prior major expense of having to have the reflectors mounted on one post and the sensors mounted on another post, both of the posts being deeply embedded into the earth's surface such that they were firmly anchored and resisted receiving minor surface movements that were independent of each other. In that patent application there was disclosed the improved co-mounted reflector and sensor on a single post to eliminate that nonfunctional and inefficient expense.
Thus it can be seen that the prior art has not been totally satisfactory in providing a solar system that did not require inefficient and nonfunctional major expenses, such as the tower for the collector or the double support structures for the respective heliostat and sensors. Also, the prior art did not provide a totally satisfactory solar system in which the respective ground level mounted heliostats and collectors in their respective predetermined arrays, could be serially connected together to incrementally and cumulatively heat a circulated fluid such that the heat was ultimately available at potential levels feasible to produce power or the like with conventional methods and apparatus.